In Loving Memory of Joseph Cupelli

May 28, 1943 – May 6, 2026

Joe Cupelli was, above all else, a family man with a huge heart and an enduring sense of humor. Born in Ethiopia to Italian parents, he and his loving wife Lidia found their way to Boca Raton in 1975, where they opened the restaurants Pizza Time and Café D’Italia, where he was also the head chef. The restaurants and Joe's passion for authentic Italian food became an anchor for their family, drawing relatives to the area and deepening the roots and connections that remain strong to this day.

Joe met Lidia, the love of his life, when they were young. The two became partners in everything — building a life together, raising a close-knit family, opening restaurants, and facing everything that followed, together. Joe is survived by his beloved wife Lidia; his sons Richard and Robert Cupelli; and his grandchildren Carina, Matthew, Emily, Ashley, and Kate. Joe leaves an enduring legacy in the loving family he and Lidia built together — and in everyone whose life he touched along the way.

Services will be held at St. Jude Catholic Church on Monday, May 11, 2026 at ten o'clock in the morning..

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Joe's memory to children.org

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Joseph Francis Cupelli, please visit our floral store.